---
Being treated like this by a mere kid, the owner of the ninja shop couldn't take it anymore.
He glared at Yatō with unwavering fury, convinced that Yatō had stolen from him.
"Give it back, you thief!"
Hearing the accusation, the gathered crowd grew bolder in their judgment. Some sneered, while others outright condemned Yatō, despite having no idea what had actually happened.
Yatō, however, remained expressionless. Holding the shopkeeper's wrist firmly, he spoke in a calm, almost indifferent tone.
"I didn't steal anything."
"Who else could it be? Just now, it was only you, me, and Might Guy in the shop!"
The pain in his arm made the shopkeeper's voice rough and strained, like the roar of a wounded beast.
"If you claim innocence, then let me search you—right here, in front of everyone!"
Search?
In front of these people?
Yatō's eyes narrowed slightly. Without a word, he tightened his grip on the shopkeeper's right hand. A sharp cry of pain immediately followed.
"Ahh!"
"You're free to report this to Konoha's Security Force…"
His meaning was clear—there would be no public search. Even if they investigated him formally, they would find nothing.
"You…"
"Alright, alright, let's calm down."
Just as the shopkeeper prepared to argue further, Might Guy finally stepped in. His voice was steady, yet filled with warmth.
"Manager, I can vouch for him. He didn't steal anything from your store."
"But, Might Guy, there were only three of us inside! Who else could it have been?"
"It's possible you were mistaken!" Guy flashed his signature grin, his teeth gleaming unnaturally bright. "Though my perception isn't as keen as Kakashi's, I can assure you—no crime would happen under my watch! You must believe in the power of youth!"
As one of Konoha's elite jōnin, Might Guy's words carried weight.
Of course, his eccentric mannerisms—his green jumpsuit, thick eyebrows, and radiant smile—still made people uneasy.
"...Since even Might Guy says so, then perhaps I was mistaken. But…" The shopkeeper grimaced. "Could he at least let me go first?"
Despite his anger, he knew better than to disrespect Might Guy.
More importantly, his arm hurt—if this continued, he feared it might be dislocated.
"It's all a misunderstanding! No harm done!" Might Guy turned to Yatō with a dazzling grin. "Now, let's embrace the spirit of youth—!"
Yatō let go without another word, turned around, and left. No hesitation, no unnecessary exchanges.
Seeing that the commotion had ended, the crowd dispersed, their interest fading.
---
Once out of sight, Yatō muttered, "Did you get everything?"
A small voice whispered near his ear.
"Got it. Not only did I snatch all the weighted gear, but I also grabbed everything else—kunai, shuriken, even his entire stockpile!"
Everything?
No wonder the shopkeeper had howled in despair.
"Good work."
For the first time, Yatō smiled slightly and acknowledged the mongoose's efforts.
The little creature twitched its ears as if it had misheard.
"What did you just say? Say it again—I must be dreaming!"
Yatō ignored it and kept walking.
"You stone-hearted brat!" the mongoose huffed. "Did you really just say thank you? No way! Are you planning to starve me as punishment?!"
This guy…
A few veins bulged on Yatō's forehead. For a brief moment, he considered grabbing the mongoose and cooking it for dinner.
Too bad…
This thing is immune to all damage.
---
Back at the Training Ground
Hyūga Hanabi had already left, but the rice balls she had made remained untouched.
Yatō glanced at them briefly, then put them out of his mind. He had more important things to focus on—his training.
The mongoose returned to its usual perch, sitting cross-legged on a small wooden post, and began rummaging through its stolen goods.
Suddenly, its tail stood up. It twitched and then pointed in a particular direction.
"Yatō, someone's coming!"
Without hesitation, Yatō deactivated the gravity suppression on his body and resumed striking the training post, acting as if nothing had happened.
Before the visitor even arrived, an all-too-familiar voice rang through the air.
"Ahh! To see such dedication to training, even after such an ordeal—how inspiring! BOOM!"
The moment he heard the voice, Yatō nearly winced.
And then, there he was—standing just as before. A tight green jumpsuit, thick eyebrows, a bowl-cut hairstyle, and a smile so blinding that even the setting sun couldn't outshine it.
This guy again?!
Even the mongoose, normally unbothered, squinted at the sheer brightness of Might Guy's teeth.
"Too flashy!" it muttered. "Damn, why do his teeth shine more than mine?!"
Yatō sighed, feigning ignorance. "Who are you?"
"A good question!"
Before Yatō could even finish speaking, Might Guy struck another dramatic pose, his hand raised in an exaggerated fist.
"I am Konoha's proud Blue Beast—Might Guy!"
For a brief moment, Yatō swore he saw an absurdly bright sun appear behind him, cartoonish and unrealistic—like a badly drawn children's painting.
Taking a deep breath, Yatō asked, "How did you even find this place? Were you following me?"
Might Guy's smile widened. He clenched his fists and shouted, "Your youth guided me here!"
Yatō's patience was wearing thin. His expression remained calm, but the veins on his forehead twitched slightly.
Might Guy, sensing the growing frustration, finally toned down his theatrics. Despite his eccentricity, he wasn't an idiot—he knew when to stop.
Even if his intelligence wasn't on Kakashi's level, he was far from clueless.
---